November saw St. Mike’s in full swing, with great academic news, convocations to celebrate, and lots of social events. Here are some of the items on our celebratory list for November:
- November saw two St. Mike’s convocations: both the College and the Faculty of Theology celebrated the conferral of degrees, with the Theology convocation including the first graduates in the Diploma in Interfaith Dialogue, as well as this year’s cohort in the Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability program. Congratulations to all our newly minted alumni!
- St. Michael’s set an impressive precedent in November, with three of our students receiving university endorsements to apply for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Two of the three candidates advanced to the interview stage for consideration, a wonderful reflection of the academic excellence of our students.
- Melodie Buhagiar began her duties as the new Director of the Office of the President. Buhagiar, who holds a degree from Carleton University’s School of Journalism, joins St. Michael’s after a decade of working at the University of Toronto.
- The Principal’s Working Group on International Student Life met for the first time, gathering to discuss the experiences of international students on campus and ways in which USMC can help improve them. The group will continue to meet throughout the year and implement ways to make the most of the international community’s experience on campus.
- The Irish Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency Dr. Eamonn McKee, made an in-person visit to Canada and was greeted on campus on November 3 by a small delegation of student leaders and staff from Celtic Studies, the Principal’s Office, and President Sylvester. The group gathered in Charbonnel Lounge with a lit fireplace to give the gathering a cozy Irish feel.
- The Italian Undergraduate Students Cultural Association (IUSCA) hosted a movie night, screening of Disney’s “Luca” in the quad on a chilly November evening to celebrate Italian culture with the wider SMC Community.
- The St. Mike’s Residence Council hosted a two-day Dean’s Cup Games event featuring activities spanning four different spaces on campus to get our residents to let off some steam during midterm season!
- SMCSU and H2art hosted a paint night for students to enjoy time away from screens and relax while building community.
- Who doesn’t love a puppy? The Dean’s Office collaborated with St. Mike’s Wellness to host a wellness day which included four sweet therapy dogs for students to play with.
- The Troubadours hosted their third show of the year—a student-written play entitled Hallie Kwan vs. the Timekeepers—to help support the development of student work and celebrate the ingenuity of our students.
- And finally, it’s beginning to look a lot like…. the coming of seasonal festivities! St. Mike’s tradition of decking the outside halls with dozens of lights occurred late in the month. If you haven’t yet basked in the glow, the lights will remain up until early in the New Year.